I’ve been freelancing for The Courier for more than a year now, recounting my various adventures as a father, and sharing the strange and hilarious things my kids say with anyone interested enough to pick up a Sunday paper.

It’s been great. The opportunity fell into my lap after my book “Children of Clay” was published. I can honestly say I enjoyed typing every word of it.

And then, things changed in a way I didn’t particularly foresee. On a whim, I emailed the editor, Mike Roark, inquiring about whether or not there was more freelance work available for me. I needed extra money. Just like everyone else, these days.

That led to an opportunity to cover some local sports.

As I listened to him talk about what he wanted, and what he expected, and the direction the paper was taking the sports coverage, a question occurred to me: Would there be a way for me to do all this — and actually be on the company payroll?

Turns out, yes. Turns out the same day I went in to ask him about work, was the last day of the former sports reporter. Interesting the way life works sometimes.

So I’ve made the jump from the Lifestyles section and writing about my kids, to the Sports section and writing about all of your kids (and also some of you).

What I’ve learned, though, is that I have extremely large boots to fill. Perhaps boots so large I can never fill them.

Perhaps it would be better to think of the situation a little differently.

I’m not filling those boots at all. I’m taking off in my own pair, forging my own path. I’d never fill out the old pair exactly right, anyway.